The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam II …king of Israel. And the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take unto you a wife of prostitution and children of prostitution: for the land has committed great prostitution, departing from the LORD."

So Hosea went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bore him a son. And the LORD said unto him, "Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel."

And she conceived again, and bore a daughter. And God said unto Hosea, "Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen."

Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bore a son. Then said God, "Call his name Loammi: for you are not my people, and I will not be your God."

"Then said the LORD unto me, ‘Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love their sacred raisin-cakes.’

"So I bought Gomer to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and a half homer of barley: And I said unto her, You shall live with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, and you shall not be for another man: so will I also be for you.

-God’s Message-

" ‘Hear the word of the LORD, you children of Israel: for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood touches blood.

" ‘My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declared unto them: for the spirit of prostitution has caused them to err, and they have gone a prostituting from under their God.

" ‘They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow there is good: therefore your daughters shall commit prostitution, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

" ‘Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone that lives there shall grow weak, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yes, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

" ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

" ‘As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

" ‘And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit prostitution, and shall not increase: because they have stopped taking heed to the LORD.

" ‘Though you, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not you unto Gilgal, neither go…up to Bethaven, nor swear, "The LORD lives."

" ‘O Ephraim, what shall I do unto you? O Judah, what shall I do unto you? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away. When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief comes in, and the troop of robbers raid outside. And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have surrounded them about; they are before my face.

" ‘And the pride of Israel testifies to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

" ‘Woe unto them! For they have fled from me: destruction unto them! Because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds.

" ‘They assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me. They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

" ‘Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will correct them, as their congregation has heard.

" ‘When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to Israel as they that take off the yoke from their jaws, and I stooped to feed them.

" ‘And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him. How shall I give you up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver you, Israel? How shall I make you as Admah? How shall I set you as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my compassion’s are kindled together.

" ‘Therefore turn you to your God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on your God continually. Yet I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt, and you shall know no god but me: for there is no savior beside me.

" ‘O Israel, you have destroyed yourself; but in me is your help. I will be your king: where is any other that may save you in all your cities? And your judges, of whom you said, "Give me a king and princes?" I gave you a king in my anger, and took him away in my wrath.

" ‘O Israel, return unto the LORD your God; for you have fallen by your sin. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, "Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the offering of our lips." And I that am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt will yet make you to live in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast.’ "

REFERENCES

Hosea 1:1-4, 6-9; Hosea 3:1-3; Hosea 4:1-2, 12-13; Hosea 4:3, 6-10, 15; Hosea 6:4; Hosea 7:1-2, 10, 13-16; Hosea 7:11-12; Hosea 11:1, 4, 7-8; Hosea 12:6; Hosea 13:4, 9-11; Hosea 14:1-2; Hosea 12:9.

CHAPTER 41